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Being rude to wage-slave telemarketers is just cruel. They're getting paid minimum wage and are already being treated like crap.

Just ask to be taken off the list and hang up.

I don't know about that. I have a friend who's a telemarketer and he pulls in about $75/week less than I do (although that may be my fault for taking the first offer out of college). He just really knows how to sell though. He has a thick skin when it comes to irate customers. Most telemarketers do, and your being mad at them doesn't really affect them, since after you they have another 300 calls to make today. You have to have a thick skin in order to last more than a month at his job, because you get it not only from customers, but also from your managers if you're having a bad sales week/month.

Being rude to wage-slave telemarketers is just cruel. They're getting paid minimum wage and are already being treated like crap.

Just ask to be taken off the list and hang up.

hmm, and being interrupted during family time, dinner, and children sleeping is not rude? And some won't take no for an answer, they continue their speil until you are forced to hang up on them. My generic response used to be "don't call me, if I want something, I'll call you." I don't have to do that anymore.

BTW, when requesting to be removed from a list, don't assume it happens overnight. It takes weeks.

Personally, I think telemarketers are human too, and when I do talk to them (charities and so on are exempt from do not call lists), I try and be cordial. It's generally not the person's choice that they are calling after all

I'm not conjecturing here, I used to work telemarketing to make ends meet.

Vinnie, the people you're talking about the "super telemarketers"; there's usually one or two of them at a given place. Most people make very little.

URAlly, they didn't choose to interrupt you at family time, it's their job. Keeping the spiels going without coming up for air is what they are instructed to do; they can be warned or fired for taking no for an answer before a certain point.

Anode, they chose to have that job over some other job. So they did choose to interrupt me during dinner. My sister in law worked at a law office where they were sneaky and corrupt. She did not feel as if the work she was asked to do was ethical. So she quit. Bottom line is that it was her choice what work she performed.

I have a feeling the web dev community misunderstands how the economy works for people who are down on their luck. Telemarketing is one of those jobs that you can turn to when there's nothing else. Sure they chose to telemarket, as opposed to choosing to starve or go on welfare.

Sorry, but the 12$/hour tempts roughly 12% of the American population to go into telemarketing or similar forms of work at some point in time (invasive advertising).

The telemarketing industry is massive (120B$/year or something, isn't it?), and loads of people have little choice but to take the money they are able to make. For some, the ethical choice isn't an option, sometimes.

Anode, I know they don't choose to. But it's always during the worst times which makes it very frustrating for me, especially when it comes to my kids and needing my attention at the same time I get these calls. They hold no regard for a crying baby in the background.

The privacy manager tells the caller I no longer wish to accept calls from their number. I don't have to hang up on them anymore or talk to them if I don't want to. And if they continue to harrass me, I have record of their calls which makes for credible backup if I choose to pursue action. That's the beauty of it.

I'm not blaming the individuals. I'm blaming the companies. It should be illegal.

I wouldn't go so far as to say it should be illegal, but there should be some reform in the way of how your number is distributed.

I get calls from agents to sell my home. I don't own a home. I own 20 acres of land out in the middle of nowhere with no structure on it except a delapidated barn. But because I had a mortgage on this property at one time, I get these calls. It would be nice if they could distinguish from home owners and land owners. At least it would stop 50% of the calls.

I don't think telemarketing is a bad thing because I have taken some offers in the past. It those that insist on calling you over and over are the ones who ruin it for everyone else trying to make a sell.

I used to telemarket when I was younger and I wasn't cut out for it. I would have been better off applying at McDonalds.

I have a feeling the web dev community misunderstands how the economy works for people who are down on their luck. Telemarketing is one of those jobs that you can turn to when there's nothing else. Sure they chose to telemarket, as opposed to choosing to starve or go on welfare.

I agree there anode. Privacy issues aside, telemarketing is one of the few industries that are always hiring, no matter the state of the economy. I've even been tempted to go into telemarketing in my pre-web-dev life; I didn't because I couldn't sell my way out of a paper bag back then .

Also anode, as to the "Super Telemarketer", you're kind of right. My friend's been telemarketing for about 1 1/2 years now, but even when he first started as a peon, he was making $10/hour plus bonuses for selling, and he routinely brought home $50-150/week in bonuses, as did many of his co-workers, who were of average selling ability. His salary + bonuses now as a supervisor is almost equal to my regular pay (thank god for the annual bonuses ).

I've never bought anything on the phone.... But these companies are making money by telemarketing. So there are people out there who aren't hanging up. As long as it still works on the market, it'll keep happening.

Not every telemarketer is pushy or rude... don't forget that, either. We've all had experience with the tough ones, but try to remember the ones that were nice about it and apoligized for the inconvenience, or thanked you for your time. (Not all of them say it just because it's part of the script)

You shouldn't be too rude to them, imo.... they're just people trying to make money. If their skillset fits that job, why not?